There are many medical situations in which applying suctioning to an area of the body may be beneficial, for example: applying a negative pressure to a wound or burn and/or draining the same, draining the trachea, draining fluids from organs and other parts of the body being operated on or being treated, including treatments of a dental nature. For example, negative pressure applied to a wound enhances drainage of fluids or exudate from the wound and promotes tissue growth and wound healing. This method of healing (known as “cupping”) was exercised since the times of ancient Greek physicians until the 19th century.
There are also many non-medical situations in which applying suctioning to an area may also be beneficial.
A number of systems and methods have been developed for providing medical suctioning.
In WO96/05873 an apparatus is disclosed having a porous foamed pad connected by a tube to a canister. A vacuum pump is located within a housing having a recess for receiving the canister. A bacterial filter positioned over the outlet of the canister, and a vacuum pump sucks wound drainage fluids into the canister.
In WO 97/18007 a portable wound treatment apparatus is disclosed, including a housing containing a suction pump and a canister for containing fluids drawn from the wound. The housing is supported on a harness or belt worn by the patient and is connected to a porous dressing at the wound site by a catheter.
In WO 03/016719, a vacuum pump is disclosed having a drive and a disengageable pumping system connected thereto, and a two- or three-chambered canister within which solids, liquids and gases may be separated from one another.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,862 the vacuum desiccator low pressure vacuum pump and trap and is transportable upon a user's person. The device includes a desiccator cartridge containing a fluid trapping agent, and the desiccator cartridge is connected to a vacuum pump member for providing a low vacuum pressure to the interior chamber of the desiccator cartridge. A single passage, one-way, gas/liquid flow pathway connects the inlet port of the desiccator cartridge to an occlusive dressing covering the wound to be drained. A control circuit includes one or more ancillary circuits for controlling operation of the device, such as: a power circuit, a moisture sensor, a timer circuit, a vacuum pressure sensor, and a pressure differential sensor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,081, a method and apparatus are disclosed, in which a negative pressure is applied to a wound sufficient in time and magnitude intended to promote tissue migration and facilitate closure of the wound.
In GB 2,307,180 (EP 0865304), a porous dressing is applied on a wound from which fluid is drawn into a canister via a catheter using portable suction pump. The pump is contained in housing and is worn on a harness or belt. Overfilling of canister is prevented by a filter contained in the canister and a pressure sensor which detects pressure reductions in tube between canister and pump which occur when drainage liquid covers the filter. A filter is placed between pump and canister, and pressure at the wound site is monitored by a conduit connected to the porous dressing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,791 a fluid collection container is disclosed, having an inlet connectable to a fluid source and an outlet connectable to a suction source. The container contains a closure member that closes the outlet port when the container is full. The closure member is integrated with a vent valve that is mounted to the container near the outlet.
In WO 03/030966, a system is disclosed for treating a patient with a wound, and comprises a bandage, a receptacle, and a vacuum source. The bandage comprises a cover to seal about the wound and to define a space above the wound in which a vacuum is to be formed. The bandage further comprises a port providing communication with the space. The receptacle is connected to the port to receive exudate from the wound and is provided to be placed below the wound. The vacuum source is spaced apart from the receptacle, is connected to the receptacle.
In WO 03/057070, a ventilated bandage system is disclosed for use with a wound. The system includes a bandage positioned adjacent to the wound to create a sealed environment around the wound. A vacuum source of the system is in communication with the bandage to create negative pressure between the bandage and the wound. The system may also include a first passageway or vent in communication with the bandage and with the surrounding atmosphere, and a second passageway in communication with the bandage and with the vacuum source.
In US 2005/192548, a wound drainage system is disclosed for draining fluid from a wound of a patient. The system includes a drain catheter, and a suction means applies suction at the drain catheter such that fluid is drawn from the wound. While drawing fluid from the wound, a controller periodically increases and decreases in an active manner the application of suction at the drain catheter.
In US 2006/0025727, a system is disclosed for treating a wound with suction. The system comprises a wound cover, a pump having an input port and an output port, the input port providing suction to the wound via the wound cover, and a reservoir coupled to the output port of the pump. The reservoir is adapted to receive effluent from the wound and the pump is said to be capable of maintaining a controlled level of suction at the wound.